The U.S. Department of Justice has made public a significant new batch of records from its investigation into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The release, which occurred on Tuesday, includes approximately 30,000 pages of documents and dozens of video clips, shedding new light on the associations of high-profile individuals, including former President Donald Trump.
Flight Log Details and Unredacted Claims
Among the heavily redacted documents is an email from a federal prosecutor in New York, dated January 7, 2020. This communication indicates that an examination of flight records showed Donald Trump had flown on Epstein's private jet eight times during the 1990s. According to the prosecutor, this number was "many more times than previously has been reported" and exceeded what investigators were aware of at the time.
The documents specify that on at least four of these flights, Ghislaine Maxwell was also a passenger. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in facilitating Epstein's sexual abuse of underage girls. One particular flight noted that the only passengers were Epstein, Trump, and a 20-year-old woman, whose name was redacted. The records also state that on two other flights, passengers included women who could have been potential witnesses in a case against Maxwell.
Justice Department's Stance on Sensational Claims
Concurrently with the document dump, the Department of Justice posted a statement on the social media platform X. The statement sought to preemptively address the content, declaring that some documents contain "untrue and sensationalist claims" made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI just before the 2020 election.
"To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already," the DOJ asserted. The department emphasized it was releasing the materials in compliance with transparency laws, while implementing legally required protections for Epstein's victims.
Political Context and the Transparency Law
This latest disclosure follows a series of releases mandated by a new transparency law passed overwhelmingly by Congress last month. The law forces the disclosure of files related to the politically sensitive Epstein case. The Trump administration had previously released a large cache of documents in an attempt to comply, though those files contained extensive redactions.
The ongoing releases have done little to quell the political scandal, with some Republicans expressing anger over the redactions. The issue threatens to remain a factor ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. For his part, former President Trump has downplayed the significance of the Epstein files, telling reporters the material was being used to deflect from his and the Republican Party's successes.
The White House did not provide an immediate comment regarding the newly revealed email about Trump's alleged flights with Epstein in the 1990s. Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his New York jail cell in 2019; his death was ruled a suicide.
